Race Weekend Central

Couch Potato Tuesday: NASCAR TV Creates Dale Jr. Sub Narrative

Sometimes, you have to sit back and think about things.  Today’s critique marks the 600th combined TV critique for Frontstretch between Couch Potato Tuesday (and its former title, Talking NASCAR TV) and The Critic’s Annex.  Where does the time go?  Crikey. New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosted a Joe Gibbs Racing benefit last week.  It says …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Indianapolis Edition

2016 Loudon I Cup Matt Kenseth Burnout Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

A big part of what happened at New Hampshire during the Sprint Cup race on Sunday had to do with location. Yes, location, location, location. Mainly, if you were on the top lane on a restart that was a good location. If you got stuck on the bottom, not so much. HOT One driver who …

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Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Dealing with Balance Issues and Nausea Amidst Concussion Tests

Dale Earnhardt Jr

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

After missing the New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway due to concussion-like symptoms, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. made his first public comments after announcing he would miss the race last Wednesday. Earnhardt, 41, spoke on Dirty Mo Radio, providing an update on his health within his podcast, “The Dale Jr. Download.” Providing comments for the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Matt Kenseth New Hampshire Win Tainted By Failed Inspection?

2016 Loudon I Cup Mattkneseth Woohoo Matthew T Thacker Nkp

Who’s in the headline: The old adage of only having to lead one lap seems to be the way Matt Kenseth does business. It rang true again this weekend as Kenseth started 18th and took over 250 laps to get to the point. Once there, he endured three restarts over the final 31 circuits and strolled to victory in a …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2016 New Hampshire 301

2016 Nascar New Hampshire

(Photo: Russel LaBounty / NKP)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? The first excuse for Tony Stewart’s renewed strength was NASCAR manipulation. The next excuse was, “Oh, it was just because of fuel mileage.” Now, for the third time in four weeks, this 45-year-old finished inside the top 5 and there are no excuses left. Is Smoke the driver he was 10 years …

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Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Made The Right Decision

2016 Talladega I Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Edwards Crash Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. may be out with a head injury, but one thing was clear after a busy Friday at New Hampshire: he’s still using his head. The driver’s decision to sit out, however long was embraced by his team at Hendrick Motorsports and showcased a healthy choice to protect this athlete’s body long-term from further harm. These days, …

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Jeff Gordon to Replace Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Indianapolis if Needed

2015 Nascar Indy Brickyard

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

Hendrick Motorsports General Manager Doug Duchardt announced Jeff Gordon could return to NASCAR if called upon by the team next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, subbing for an injured Dale Earnhardt, Jr. “I’m not going to speculate on what-ifs and all that stuff,” Duchardt said of Earnhardt’s situation during a Friday morning press conference at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “As …

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Holding A Pretty Wheel: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Injury About More than 1 Race

2016 Fontana Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

For the second time in the last five seasons, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will sit out at least one race due to a possible concussion.  A Hendrick Motorsports release didn’t specify the cause, however Earnhardt was involved in a multi-car crash at Daytona two weeks ago and said Thursday his symptoms began before last weekend’s race. …

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4 Burning Questions: How Will Sitting Out NHMS Impact Dale Earnhardt, Jr.?

With Alex Bowman in the No. 88, how will Sunday impact Dale, Jr.? Sitting out Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will have a number of factors that could make the rest of the season quite a haul. Entering New Hampshire just 32 points above the 16th-place cutoff, Earnhardt’s Chase …

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NASCAR 101: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s Season Isn’t Over

2016 Fontana Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Brett Moist Nkp

(Photo: Brett Moist / NKP)

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will be missing the race at New Hampshire this weekend due to concussion symptoms. But thankfully for members of Junior Nation, not all hope is lost. Sure, Earnhardt is currently 13th in points before missing any races, but NASCAR history is littered with stories of drivers coming back from injury just as good, …

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Earnhardt Will Not Race in New Hampshire, Bowman to Fill In

2016 Kentucky Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the 19th race of the season, one driver will be noticeably absent. After suffering concussion-like symptoms over the weekend at Kentucky Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not been cleared by the doctors to race this weekend and will miss a race for …

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Did You Notice? … Hendrick Motorsports’ Rough Road?

2016 Charlotte All Star Cup Rick Hendrick Nigel Kinrade Nkp

How Did Hendrick Do in Comparison to Kyle Busch? (Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Did You Notice? … The struggles of Hendrick Motorsports this season getting more pronounced? The team’s night at Kentucky Speedway ended with none of HMS’ four cars in serious contention; Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was the best of the bunch in 13th place. For the second straight week, the entire four-car fleet ran outside the top 10, the …

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